Whiffletree.



w. B. PHILLIPS. WHIPFLETRBE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 4. 1906.

, Attorneys PATENTED ocwfao, 19,06.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

WHIFFLETREE.

No. camera.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Oct. 30,1906.

Application filed December 4, 1905. Serial 110.290.264.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIs E. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Collbran, in the county of Mesa and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Whitfietree, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to whiflietrees, and

' has for an object to provide a whifiietree embodying new and improved features ofstrength, durability, cheapness, and efficiency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a whifiietree embodying the well-known truss principle, by which the amount of material may be greatly reduced without reducing the strength.

A further object of the invention is to provide a whiflletree wherein the rigid member acts as a strut only, the draft being connected directly to a bent truss-rod, which at its ends forms trace-hooks, between which the rigid member is disposed.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

- In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved Whiifletree in normal position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved whiffletree with the parts positioned as when under draft or for releasing traces.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of one end of the whiffletree as taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4

is a detail perspective view of the draft connecting eye and bolt.

Like characters of reference indicate corre- I sponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

In its preferred embodiment the improved whiffletree forming the subject of this application comprises a resilient truss-bar 10, engaged at its middle in an eyebolt 11, which also carries additional attaching means, as the ring 12. Upon each side the truss-bar is inclined forwardly and has its ends enlarged and bent, as at 13, to nearly right angles and With the extremities bent to form the tracehooks 14.. A strut 15 'is interposed between the shanks of the hooks I14, and its ends are adapted to be enga ed by said shanks. This strut serves to ho d the shanks and hooks properly spaced apart under all conditions.

To prevent displacement of the parts, the ends of the strut are provided with yokes 16, which loosely embrace the shanks 0f .the hooks 14 and are secured upon the strut in any approved manner, as by the rivets 17. To ena le the resiliency of the truss-barto close the traceehooks when draft is released, the strut is secured to the shank 18 of the eyebolt and is spaced from the truss by bearing against the shoulder 19. The ends of the strut are preferably provided with caps or ferrules 20, having grooves 21, rolportioned to accommodate the shanks of t e ooks.

The yokes 16 are wider transversely at the bow and extend, as at 22, in the rear and at 23 in front, thereby strengthening and supporting the hooks and the rear projection 22 positioned to contact with the evener to permit the truss-bar to close the hook and prevent the disconnection of the cockeye.

To hook and unhook the trace, the hooks are moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 by grasping the truss-bar and strut and forcing them together.

It will be obvious that the draft applied to the hooks will be sustained wholly by the truss-bar, the strut serving only to hold the hooks properly spaced, and so far as the draft is concerned it is not necessary that the strut be attached at its middle point.

In practice it is found that some nicety is 7 required to so pro ortion the strut and trussbar that the hoo -shanks will contact with the ends at exactly the instant the bend 13 of the truss-bar engages the rear side of the strut and that such accuracy of manufacture adds to the cost of the finished article.

tact with the forward side of the strut to close the hook, and whereby it is impossible for the traces to become accidentally disengaged.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is 1. A Whiffletree comprising a strut, guideyokes secured to and extending over the ends of the strut, said yokes projecting in front and in rear of the strut, a resilient truss-bar connected to and spaced from the central portion of the strut, shanks extending from the ends of the bar and through the guideyokes, and hooks at the ends of the shanks and normally contacting With the front face of the strut,

2. A Whiflietree com rising a strut having grooved ends, guide-yolies secured to and extending over said ends and projecting in front and in rear of the strut, a resilient trussbar secured at its center to, and spaced from, the center of the strut, forwardly-extending shanks at the ends of the brace-bar and slidably mounted Within and guided by the yokes, and hook at the ends of the shanks and normally contacting with and closed by the front face of the strut, said shanks adapted to be seated Within the grooves.

3. A Whiflietree comprising an angular resilient truss-bar, forwardly-extending shanks at the ends thereof, hooks at the ends of the shanks, a resilient strut interposed between and adapted to space apart the shanks, said strut having grooves in its ends adapted to constitute seats for the shanks, spacing and connecting means interposed between the centers of the strut and truss-bar, and guideyokes secured to and extending over the ends of the strut and embracing the shanks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIS E. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

IDA B. Prrrs, CARR MARSH LL. 

